| Our new Dutch Star motorhome had several minor problems
so we scheduled a two day appointment for repairs at the Newmar plant.
Problems included replacing two interior lights, adjusting the entrance
door, repairing a cargo door, replacing the large patio awning, replacing
the back-up monitor, replacing a cabinet door and a few other small items.
Let me explain one other thing. Our motorhome has Diamond
Shield installed on the front, an expensive clear film molded to the contour
of the body, that prevents rock chips and makes bugs easier to remove.
You will read more about Diamond Shield below.
As you read the following remember we had a TWO DAY
appointment.
Tuesday - [Day 1] We arrived at Newmar's
campground for warranty repairs on Wednesday and Thursday. We were told
twice a service writer would meet us at our motorhome and get a detailed
list of our problems and write our work order. At closing time we were
told the service writer was busy and would meet us at 6:00 a.m. the next
morning.
Wednesday - [Day 2 - Service Day 1] Got
up at 5:00 a.m. and got the motorhome ready to roll. Service writer arrived
at 6:00 a.m. and took our list and wrote up service order. He asked if
we could stay through Friday it they needed more time for repairs. No problem.
Our DS went in the repair facility at 6:30 a.m. and was returned at 2:30
p.m. with 50% of items repaired. They also repaired two problems we were
not aware of.
Thursday - [Day 3 - Service Day 2] Got up
at 5:00 a.m. and got the motorhome ready to roll. Service technician picked
it up at 6:00 a.m. and returned it at 2:30 p.m. with everything fixed except
five items including three items they had to order. He told us to sleep
in the next morning and he would call us when parts arrived. Also, this
morning we talked to the Spartan Rep and were told our name would be put
on a list of people complaining about rough ride on the front axle. If
and when Spartan/Newmar found a solution or had a recall we would be notified.
At lunch the Spartan Rep called and said he had called their Charlotte
plant to put my name on the list and Spartan told him to replace the air
bags. At 2:00 p.m. Charlotte called back and said to replace the shocks
too and they would be sending the parts the next day.
Friday - [Day 4 - Service Day 3] We slept
in and relaxed all day. At 2:30 p.m. Newmar said their parts had arrived
and they thought the Spartan parts had arrived too. Newmar said they would
try to install the parts Monday at the same time Spartan was replacing
their parts.
Saturday - [Day 5] Slept in and then spent
the day with Stan and Betty Bober.
Sunday - [Day 6] Relaxed and watched TV.
Monday - [Day 7 - Service Day 4] Got up
at 5:00 a.m. and got the motorhome ready to roll. Spartan picked it up
at 6:00 a.m. for test drive and replacement of parts. Spartan returned
motorhome at 4:00 p.m. after replacing parts and doing another test drive.
They trumped Newmar so none of the Newmar repairs were done. Spartan weighed
each wheel position and noted the front was now 900 pounds heavy on the
left and the rear was 1145 pounds heavy on the right. This was totally
unacceptable because it can overload tires and make the motorhome unsafe
to drive. Spartan promised to fix this problem before we left.
Tuesday - [Day 8 - Service Day 5] Got up
at 5:00 a.m. and got the motorhome ready to roll. Newmar technician arrived
at 6:00 a.m. and since this was our final day (I thought) I went over the
repairs left to be done and found out one part still had not arrived. (It
did arrive later in the day.) I told the technician Diamond Shield still
had not inspected the front covering as I had requested. There were a few
bubbles the size of a pin head and they could only be seen at an angle
with proper lighting. I wanted Diamond Shield to document the extremely
small bubbles so if they developed into a worse problem I would have written
proof of the fact the bubbles were there since manufacturing. At 3:15 p.m.
our motorhome was returned and Newmar had finished their repairs. But.....
I noticed the windshield wipers had been removed, then I noticed the mirrors
had been removed, then I saw spots of primer on the front. A man from the
paint shop stepped out of the motorhome and said Diamond Shield decided
to replace the section of film from under the windshield down to the hood
and on down to the headlights. When they removed it some of the paint peeled
off so the motorhome was sent to the paint shop.
Wednesday - [Day 9 - Service Day 6] Got
up at 5:00 a.m. and got motorhome ready to roll. Newmar needed the motorhome
in their paint shop at 6:00 a.m. and they repainted the section where the
Diamond Shield was removed. At 2:00 p.m. Newmar told us we would spent
the night in The Inn at Amish Acres. They took us in the paint shop to
get some clothes and personal items for the night. The front of our motorhome
had been painted and heat lights were baking the paint.
Thursday - [Day 10 - Service Day 7] Diamond
Shield applied the new film and did a terrible job. Between the paint and
film there were light splotches, scratches and about 200 bubbles. We complained
to Newmar and were told a man from Diamond Shield would inspect it.
Friday - [Day 11 - Service Day 8] A man
from Diamond Shield arrived at 8:00 a.m. and gave the blotched job a glance
and said, "It looks good to me and I wouldn't be concerned about it." We
told him it was our motorhome and we "were" concerned about it and it was
not acceptable. After the Diamond Shield man walked away we contacted our
service writer with the story. A few minutes later the Diamond Shield man
returned, apologized and said he would correct the problem. The film was
removed again and once again pulled off some paint. Our motorhome was returned
to the paint shop and sanded and primed again.
Saturday - [Day 12] We relaxed and watched
sports on TV.
Sunday - [Day 13] More relaxing and watching
TV.
Monday - [Day 14 - Service Day 9] We got
up at 5:00 a.m. and got the motorhome ready to roll. The paint shop picked
it up and later that day we were told to go back to The Inn at Amish Acres
for the night. This time we were smart and already had our suitcase packed.
Part of the front of our motorhome was painted again with infrared heat
lights baking the finish until the next day.
Tuesday - [Day 15 - Service Day 10] Diamond
Shield installed their film on the front of the motorhome again and returned
it to us at 2:30 p.m. This was the worst job Diamond Shield had done with
many splotches, smears and about 300 bubbles between the paint and film.
Our Newmar service technician and service writer came to inspect the job
and just shook their heads in disbelief at the ugly job. The Newmar service
writer said Diamond Shield has tried to fix it two times and I think you
should call their 800 number and complain. WRONG ANSWER!!!
We told him "our warranty is with Newmar and this is Newmar's problem
and Newmar will get it correctly."
Wednesday - [Day 16 - Service Day 11] We
got up at 6:00 a.m. and at 8:00 a.m. two men from Newmar arrived with two
men from Diamond Shield we had never seen before. All four inspected the
Diamond Shield film and agreed it was a mess. The younger Diamond Shield
man seemed to know what he was talking about and had a great demeanor.
They immediately took the motorhome to the service building and the young
man was skilled enough to remove the film without damaging the paint, then
he had Newmar's paint people sand and buff the paint to give it a smooth
surface. With help he applied the Diamond Shield film and got it as perfect
as any motorhome that has rolled out of Newmar's manufacturing plant. Before
installing the mirrors and windshield wiper blades they requested we inspect
their work and we gave them a thumbs up. Spartan also adjusted the motorhome's
ride height this day and it is now almost perfectly balanced on each side
of each axle.
Thursday - [Day 17] Newmar, Spartan and
Diamond Shield were all finished repairing our Dutch Star so we slept in
and spent the day cleaning the motorhome. After being work on for eleven
days there was dust covering everything in the motorhome and paint dust
and mud covering the outside.
Friday & Saturday - [Days 18 & 19]
Since we had full hookups and Newmar's campground was free we decided to
stay two more days and get some rest. |
